Antonio Conte celebrates wildly in front of the away fans. What a win for Chelsea. Mauricio Pochettino can’t believe it. Tottenham thought that they had escaped with a point after Michy Batshuayi’s own goal, but it’s turned out to be the same old story for them at Wembley. Take nothing away from Chelsea, though. They were under so much pressure after last weekend’s shambles and were without so many big players, but this was a very good performance from them in the circumstances, shrewd and defiant. Marcos Alonso got both the goals and the champions are up and running. Now they need to sort themselves out in the transfer market before the window shuts. That’s all from me. Thanks for reading. Bye.
Conte celebrates after the final whistle. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Action Images
Marcos Alonso has surely won it for Chelsea with his second goal of the afternoon! David Luiz robbed Victor Wanyama midway inside Tottenham’s half, Lloris having put the midfielder in trouble with a hasty throw. The ball was played through to Alonso by Pedro and his low drive from the left squirmed underneath Hugo Lloris, sparking huge celebrations from everyone in Chelsea colours!
Lloris allows the ball under his body for Alonso’s second. Photograph: Kieran McManus/BPI/REX/Shutterstock
87 min: Eriksen’s teasing free-kick’s headed wide for a corner on the left. Before it can be taken, Alonso’s booked for dissent. The noise is deafening now. Who needs an artificial drum? Eriksen’s delivery is disappointing, though, and Courtois claims it. Chelsea break, Kante tries to play in Batshuayi, but Dembele makes a crucial challenge. And then...
86 min: The increasingly influential Eriksen plays for a free-kick, waiting for Bakayoko to put an arm on his back, and he duly goes down when the Chelsea midfielder obliges. This is a chance for Eriksen again. It might be too far wide for a shot.
GOAL! Tottenham 1-1 Chelsea (Batshuayi own goal, 82 min)
It hasn’t been coming, but Tottenham are level. Bakayoko concedes a free-kick rather needlessly on the left, leaning on Alli, and Tottenham finally make a set-piece count. They have Michy Batshuayi to thank, though. His body shape’s all wrong as he meets Eriksen’s delivery at the near post and there’s nothing that Courtois can do to stop the substitute’s header flying past him!
Batshuayi heads the free kick into his own goal. Photograph: Michael Zemanek/BPI/REX/Shutterstock
81 min: If anything, this is a performance that has showed why Tottenham could do with a top winger. Something different. They wanted Zaha before he signed a new contract at Palace. Why not look for someone else?
80 min: Tottenham bring on Moussa Sissoko for Ben Davies, a substitution that reminds you they really could do with bringing in more quality before the window shuts. Having said that, though, Sissoko will now score a hat-trick.
79 min:Chelsea make another change, Michy Batshuayi on for Alvaro Morata. “You hinted at it in the MBM a few squares down,” says Mark Turner. “Spurs are losing their way in the final third, ironically due to having too much space. They’re the closed game touch and deft flick people, there’s some adapting to do.” It might take time. It isn’t easy to adjust to new angles on an unfamiliar pitch.
78 min: Pedro has been waiting to come on for a while, but Conte delayed his introduction because Willian was playing so well. Now he does replace the Brazilian, though.
76 min: Eriksen gambols into the Chelsea box on the right, but his cross is deflected behind for a corner. Chelsea have dealt with all of them comfortably so far. They deal with this one as well.
73 min: Willian tries a stepover before deciding to shoot from 25 yards. It’s low and hard and it beats Lloris, but the ball hits the base of the right post and Tottenham survive!
72 min: Morata charges away from Alderweireld on the left, showing good pace, before trying to pick out Bakayoko in the middle. Almost. Chelsea are the more threatening side at the moment.
71 min: A chance for Moses. He pops up in the Spurs area on the right and shoots powerfully over the angle of post and bar. It looked like Lloris saved it, but a goal-kick’s awarded.
70 min: A rare Chelsea counter almost catches Tottenham out. Taking advantage of Dier’s withdrawal, Willian breaks through the middle and slides the ball to Morata on the left. He works it back to his right foot, but his shot’s deflected by Alderweireld and bobbles wide.
Morata watches his shot go wide. Photograph: Rogan/JMP/REX/Shutterstock
66 min: The second half pressure from Tottenham has been unrelenting, but they’ve lacked direction in the final third. Courtois hasn’t had much to do. They need more composure.
55 min: A scrappy lull. It suits Chelsea. “The inconsistency by the referees is maddening sometimes,” says Byron Adu-Boakye. “How are either Vertonghen and Dier on the pitch when Cahill got sent of for his tackle? Does the rulebook change from week to week?”
52 min: Moses scampers down the right and cuts the ball back. Morata’s low shot is blocked. Chelsea don’t let Tottenham out, though, and Kante wins a corner.
51 min: There have been some heavy tackles in this game and now Vertonghen hacks down Moses. That’s a reckless shocker of a challenge and he’s fortunate to escape with a booking.
48 min: This is an excellent start from Tottenham. Now Kane turns and powers past Rudiger before winning another corner. Chelsea are under the cosh, but Vertonghen’s cross is too close to Courtois.
47 min: The ball’s flung into the Chelsea area and Kane, unmarked, mistimes his header. The ball skids off to the left and Kane holds his head in his hands, aware of what a wonderful chance that was, rueing his wastefulness.
46 min: Off we go again. Tottenham get the second half underway. They’re on the attack straight away, Kane beautifully backheeling the ball to the onrushing Eriksen, whose prodded shot’s deflected wide for a corner.
“I’m at Wembley and the piped in drumming is the most embarrassing thing I’ve heard at a stadium in my life,” says Pete Corbett.“Why do clubs not trust the supporters to create an atmosphere?”
Crisis? What crisis? Antonio Conte’s patched-up champions deservedly lead after a good first half, Marcos Alonso scoring the first ever Premier League goal at Wembley with a fine free-kick. Tottenham were better after going behind, but they need to improve.
45 min+2: Vertonghen tricks his way past Bakayoko on the left, reaching the byline as the midfielder stumbles, and hammers a low cross towards the near post. Under pressure, Dier diverts it over. Tottenham want a corner, but they aren’t getting one.
45 min+1: There will be three added minutes. Tottenham are finishing the half strongly. Davies bursts into the area from the left and sees his shot deflected wide. Chelsea deal with it, sort of, but they’re under pressure here. Trippier’s low ball from the right’s put behind by Alonso.
44 min: Kane sweeps a ball out from right to left for Davies, whose 25-yarder takes a deflection, forcing Courtois to push it away. This is a good spell for Tottenham. Dembele wins a corner on the right.
42 min: A superb touch, assuming it was intentional, takes Dele Alli away from Azpiluceta in the middle. Azpilicueta’s over-committed and Alli moves it on to Kane on the left. Into the area, he steps inside Christensen, on to his right foot, and hammers a low drive past Courtois. Is this his first Premier League goal in August? Think again. The ball bounces off the inside of the far post and away to safety!
40 min: “A fascinating battle of the new style job sharing defenders / midfielders is a feisty one here,” says Jeremy Dresner. “Luiz is a stronger straight defender and will now be defending more with the goal advantage. Dier is a slightly better midfielder at making supporting runs to help the attack. Both are now set to play to the stronger part of their broad respective skill sets if the game stays like this.”
39 min: Eriksen flicks a low, curving ball into the six-yard box. Morata has a swing and a miss, Kane and Dier can’t reach it, Courtois is rooted to the spot and the ball bounces just wide of the far post. That deserved more.
Kane norDier manage to connect. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Action Images
38 min: Christian Eriksen’s fouled off the ball by David Luiz, who cynically stopped the Dane from reaching a pass down the line by Trippier on the right of the Chelsea box. Despite shaking his head, the Brazilian’s booked.
35 min: “Good goal by Chelsea but why does Dele tackle in such a reckless way in that position?” says Mike Nagle. “Also why is a left-footed free kick not anticipated? Poor from Spurs, so far. Too many people thought Chelsea would be poor but they were not Champions for nothing.”
